Rain-signal.



J. A. ROBY.

RAIN SIGNAL. APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 7, 1914.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C

ITED STATES PATENT @FFIGEI JOHN A. RUBY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

RAIN-SIGNAL.

Application filed January 7, 191%.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. Pour, a citizen of tie United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of lVayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and rain fall which is adapted to be placed out of doors and is arranged to close an electrical circuit immediately upon contact of rain with a chemical substance which is ignited by the rain water and burns a string which holds a switch arm against the action of a spring, normally out of engagement with a switch contact, so that the circuit is closed and a bell in the circuit may be rung as a signal;

Another important object of my invention is to provide novel means for holding the chemical substance to be ignited when wet with rain water that is arranged to permit its recharging after a signaling operation in a reliable and expeditious manner.

A further important object of my invention is to provide a rain signal of the character described which is extremely simple as to construction and number of parts, is reliable and etlicient in operation and which may be cheaply manufactured.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompan inp: drawings. described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

lVith reference to the drawings, wherein 1 have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it-is reduced to practice,

and throughout the several views of which similar reference-numerals designate corre spondmgpartsy Figure 1 is a sectional view taken through the battery box showing the Patented Dec. 29, 1914:.

Serial No. 810,883.

and Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrating the rain cup and cooperating parts in section and showing the device as it would appear when in assembled position.

Referring to the drawings by characters of 'reference 1 designates as an entirety a preferably rectangular battery box which in the preferred form is constructed of some suitable material capable of readily withs;andi.ng the elements. Mounted within the battery box is a dry cell 2 which is connected with an automatic switch to be later described, a hand switch 3 and signaling hell 1 by neans of the conductor wires 5 and 6. The automatic switch, hand switch 3 and bell 4; are arranged exteriorly of the battery box 1 upon the side walls thereof. Secured upon one side wall of the battery box 1 is an angular supporting arm or bracket 7 which extends laterally from the box and is provided with an opening 8 adjacent its outer end. Secured in any suitable manupon the upper face of the bracket 7 is a cylindrical tubular member 9 arranged with its upper end open and its lower end in communication with the opening 8 in the bracket 7. A funnel shaped rain cup 10 is mounted within the tubular member 9 so that its smaller end is disposed within the tubular member for a distance equivalent to approximately half the length of the tubular member.

Hingedly secured as at 11 is a supporting plate 12 arranged upon the under face of the bracket 7 adjacent the opening 8 therein. Secured upon the plate 12 intermediatethe ends thereof is a cylindrical container 13 provided with a conical recess 1 1 in its upper face. This container 13 is adapted to be inserted within the opening 8 in the bracket 7 and to be disposed slightly below the inner lower edge of the cup 10 when in operative position. A spring catch 15 is secured. upon the under face of the bracket 7 and is adapted to hold the plate 12 in a position so that the cup 13 is extended into the tubular member 9 as above described. Alined openings 16 and 17 are formed through the vertical wall of the cylindrical member 9 at a point in a plane approximately centrally of the space between the inner ends of the cup 10 and upper end of the container13. A fine flexible thread or cord 18' is extended through the. openings 16. and 17..dispo sed between the upper end raincup, switch battery and bell in plan ofthe memberlii and innerend ofcthecup 10, and secured in any suitable manner adjacent the outside of the opening 17 so as to prevent its withdrawal inwardly relative to the cylindrical member 9. The other end of this string or cord 18 is connected as at 19 to a pivoted switch arm 20 of an automatic switch designated 21 as an entirety. A retractile helical spring 22 is connected at its terminals to the switch arm 20 and to the adjacent side wall of the battery box 1 and serves to normally hold the switch arm in engagement with the contact 23. This string or cord 18 is arranged when secured at its outer end so that the switch. arm 20 is held, against the action of the spring 22, out of engagement with the contact 28.

A suitable amount of a chemical substance not shown, which when brought into contact with water immediately takes fire, is placed within the conical recess 14 in the upper end of the container 13. It has been found desirable in this connection to use calcium phosphid (Ca P since its action when placed in contact with water is to take fire immediately but any other suitable chemical substance may be used when desired.

In operation the rain falling in the cup 10 drips into the tubular member 9 and engages the chemicalsubstance heretofore described and contained in the conical recess 14. The chemical substance immediately becomes wet and takes fire, the flame occurring burns the cord 18 and immediately permits the spring 22 to return the switch arm 20 into its normal position in engagement with the contact 23, at which time the circuit hereinbefore described is closed and the bell 4 will immediately ring and signal persons that rain is falling.

It will be apparent with reference to the foregoing description and accompanying drawings that I have provided a rain signal which is simple as to construction and number of parts, and which is extremely reliable and e licient in operation. It is of course apparent that after one operation as hereinbefore described, the cord 18 may be replaced and arranged as described to hold the switch arm 20 out of engagement with the contact 23. iVhen the automatic signaling has taken place the spring catch 15 is operated to release the plate 12 whereupon the container.

13 drops down into position at right angles to the bracket 7. A new supply of chemical substance may be placed within the recess 14 and the container moved into operative position again and the device is ready for another signaling action.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary,

I desire'to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In av rain signal of the character described the combination with an electrical circuit having a signal bell therein of an automatic switch, a fabric cord normally holding the switch open, a funnel-shaped rain cup, said cord arranged adjacent the dis charge end of the cup and a container arranged beneath the cord and discharge end of the cup adapted to contain a chemical substance which when wet will immediately blaze and burn the cord whereby the circuit is closed and the bell rung.

2. A rain signal comprising a battery boxhaving a battery therein, a bell in circuit with the battery, an automatic switch in circuit with the battery bell, a bracket secured to the battery box, a tubular member on one end of the bracket, a funnel-shaped rain cup having its discharge end mounted within the tubular member, a fabric cord secured transversely of the tubular member adjacent the discharge end of the cup and connected with the automatic switch to hold said switch normally open, and a container arranged within the tubular member beneath the fabric cord and discharge opening of the cup adapted to contain a chemical substance which when wet will take fire, whereby the fabric cord is burned and the switch is closed to cause the bell to ring.

3. A rain signal comprising a battery box, a battery in the box, a bell in circuit with the battery, an automatic switch in circuit with the battery and bell, a bracket secured to the battery box, a tubular member upon one end of the bracket, a funnel-shaped rain cup having its discharge end mounted within the tubular member, a fabric cord mounted within the tubular member adjacent the discharge opening of the cup and normally holding the switch in open position, spring means for closing the switch, a container hingedly secured to the bracket and arranged within the tubular member beneath the fabric cord adapted to contain a suitable amount of chemical substance which when wet will take fire, whereby the fabric cord is burned and the switch is closed causing the bell to ring.

4 A rain signal comprising a battery box having a battery therein, a bell in circuit with the battery, an automatic switch in circuit with the bell, said bell and automatic switch being connected with a hand switch, a bracket secured to the battery box and supporting the automatic switch, said bracket having an opening in its outer end, a tubular member secured tothe bracket and communicating with the opening, a funnelshaped rain cup having its discharge end communicating with the upper end of the tubular member, a fabric cord arranged within the tubular member and secured to the switch to normally holdsaid switch in open position, a spring for closing the switch, a plate hingedly secured upon the under face of the bracket, a container secured intermediate the ends of the plate and adapted to extend through the opening in bracket into the tubular member, means for holding the plate in engagement with the bracket whereby the container is extended into the tubular member and said container adapted to receive a chemical substance which when wet takes fire, whereby the fabric cord is burned and the switch is closed by the spring means and the bell is rung.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. ROBY.

Witnesses:

PERCY D. BROWN, ANTHONY RUTHA.

Copies of this patent msy be obtained for he cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of .Patents- Wsshington, D. 6. 

